Panetta: Syria chemical weapon threat has slowed

Dec. 11, 2012
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Leon Panetta / Jacquelyn Martin, AP

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

The prospect of U.S. and allied action against Syria over chemical weapons appears to be lessening.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told reporters that new intelligence indicates that Syria may be backing off any plans to use chemical weapons against rebel forces.

"We haven't seen anything new indicating any aggressive steps to move forward in that way," Panetta said during a flight to Kuwait, adding that U.S. officials "continue to monitor it very closely and we continue to make clear to them that they should not under any means make use of these chemical weapons against their own population.

"That would produce serious consequences," Panetta, echoing a threat made last week by President Obama.

"Rebel fighters have now inched so close to Assad's stronghold, the capital city of Damascus, that top U.S. officials had expressed fears the cornered dictator could try and use his chemical weapons as a last resort to try and avoid being toppled by the 21-month uprising.

"Syrian government officials have refused to confirm that they even posses chemical or biological weapons -- saying only that if they did have them, they would not use them against the Syrian people, or anyone else."